A young grocer sells some frutas y verduras at the Little Town Grocery transformed into a traditional Mexican market at Habitot Children's Museum's Cinco de Mayo celebration last year. Credit: Courtesy of Habitot Children's Museum less

A young grocer sells some frutas y verduras at the Little Town Grocery transformed into a traditional Mexican market at Habitot Children's Museum's Cinco de Mayo celebration last year. Credit: Courtesy of ... more

Photo: Courtesy Of Habitot Children's M

Photo: Courtesy Of Habitot Children's M

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A young grocer sells some frutas y verduras at the Little Town Grocery transformed into a traditional Mexican market at Habitot Children's Museum's Cinco de Mayo celebration last year. Credit: Courtesy of Habitot Children's Museum less

A young grocer sells some frutas y verduras at the Little Town Grocery transformed into a traditional Mexican market at Habitot Children's Museum's Cinco de Mayo celebration last year. Credit: Courtesy of ... more

The Bay Area's diversity is spotlighted this weekend when the Habitot Children's Museum in Berkeley celebrates important holidays of two distinct cultures: Cinco de Mayo and Kodomo no hi, "Children's Day" in Japan.

Kodomo no hi is a national holiday in Japan, during which every child's distinct personality and happiness are celebrated. Traditionally, families raise a carp-shaped koinobori flag for each child in the household, as well as for the parents.

The Japanese tradition of devoting a day to celebrate children started sometime in the fifth century. Originally, there was Hinamatsuri (Girls' Day) followed two days later by Tango no Sekku (Boys' Day). In 1948, the Japanese government combined the two days and renamed the festival Kodomo no hi.

The Habitot version, which takes place Friday, will include a koinobori flag-making station as well as a place where participants can fashion their own versions of fukinagashi, or colorful pole streamers.

The idea behind the hands-on approach to learning about different cultures is "to engage parents with their children," says Gina Moreland, Habitot's executive director. "The museum is a place where you can come and have unstructured time with your children."

While Kodomo no hi is celebrated Saturday in Japan, Habitot's doing it a day early to make room for a Cinco de Mayo party on Saturday. With an approach similar to the Kodomo festival, Habitot's take on Mexico's national holiday will include opportunities to make maracas, brightly colored Talavera tiles and flowers fashioned from papier-mache.

For children inclined to do a little shopping, the museum's play grocery store will also be transformed into a Mexican mercado where Mexican fabrics, tropical flowers and frutas y verduras (fruits and veggies) can be "purchased." In addition, the musical duo Duamuxa will perform Latin American folk songs and original music.

Moreland says both events are important for teaching kids how people may be different, but underneath we share the same values. "Kids are particularly good at not seeing those differences," says Moreland. "What little kids take out of it is that these are celebratory moments. We humans tend to have all kinds of rituals and those are important touchstones for building a society that hangs together. These children who are going to preschool and public school with lot of different children need to interact. It's a really good way to lay down good building bocks."